Joan Rivers Uses Racial Stereotype to Mock Justin Bieber

7 Aug 2014

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 7 (UPI)–Joan Rivers has been accused of racism over her recent comments on Justin Bieber.

The 81-year-old television personality used a racial stereotype to describe the 20-year-old singer’s outfit on her series Fashion Police. Bieber was spotted in a multi-colored, graffiti-covered sweatshirt, black pants, white sneakers and gold chain, and Rivers dissed the ensemble.

“Someone needs to sit him down and say, ‘You are not a big black thug. You are just like your shoes, ordinary and completely white.'”

I understand why @JustinBieber wears baggy pants, but what is with the mini-skirt over the pants? #FashionPolice pic.twitter.com/YKwRFnSA8yÃ¢ € ” Steve Tran (@SteveTran13) August 2, 2014

Original Village People vocalist Victor Willis took offense to the comment, tweeting, “What @Joan_Rivers said is no laughing matter! It’s Racist and she has a history of this. #boycott.” He also declared on his Facebook, “Time To Shut Her Down!”

Rivers has faced controversy plenty of times in her career, and typically refuses to apologize for her jokes. The Anti-Defamation League criticized her last year for referencing the Holocaust as she mocked Heidi Klum’s Oscars dress.